Bjarne

Sadly enough, this page starts with the end:

Bjarne Nielsen died of a severe heart attack in the night of February, 27th at the age of 66. The pipe community lost one of it's greatest characters who loved and lived pipes. He was one of the most knowledgeable persons about the history of the Danish handmade pipe. May he rest in peace!

• Bjarne Nielsen AX Plateau Briar, Courtesy Herbert Fadeley
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Bjarne made no pipes himself; he was a long time prominent distributor of his own brands of Danish pipes (quite popular in the U. S. A.) and had several Danish pipemakers work for him like Johs (for the lower priced high volume pieces) and makers like Ph. Vigen and Tonni Nielsen for high grade pieces. The cheaper line was stamped "Bjarne" while the highest grades were stamped "Bjarne Nielsen" (never with the pipemakers' name) and graded, from highest to lowest, by the letters: AX, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and J.

Bjarne was also a 1st class address for lovers of XXL pipes. These were called "Giant".

Bjarne had a small selection of tobacco blends in his name; these were made in Germany by Dan Tobacco Manufacturing (DTM) in Lauenburg.

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  Custom made Volcano, 2003

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  ... and a Dunhill Group 5!

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  Giant - named "Child's Coffin"